Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (ankle) exited Saturday's postseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The former Duke Blue Devil tweaked his ankle, so he'd finish the day with four points, five rebounds, and two assists in 25 minutes of work. Luckily, X-rays were negative, and the team will now take things day by day before deciding his availability for Game 2 on Tuesday evening. If he can't suit up, Royce O'Neale, finishing with 14 points in Game 1, would likely slide into the starting lineup and immediately become an enticing DFS option for any contest.

Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet (calf) won't play in Sunday's postseason showdown with the Miami Heat. Kornet holds a semi-regular spot in the rotation, averaging 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks this season. But he's sidelined because of a strained calf, meaning the 28-year-old could miss more time beyond Sunday's contest. Fortunately, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford are available, so they should absorb most of the minutes at the five. Xavier Tillman Sr. could potentially see the floor. However, Tillman won't play enough to warrant DFS consideration.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro scored a game-high 24 points in Friday's Play-In win over the Chicago Bulls. The 24-year-old nearly had a triple-double, adding 10 boards and nine assists to his scoring total. While he still had issues taking care of the ball, he shot better than he did in Wednesday's loss to the 76ers. With that said, Herro should continue to benefit from a production standpoint while Jimmy Butler (knee) and Terry Rozier (neck) remain sidelined. Unfortunately, the Heat will advance to meet the Celtics in the opening round, which is never an easy matchup for anyone.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Cam Reddish (ankle) won't play in Saturday's postseason battle with the Nuggets. The 24-year-old has been on and off the injury report throughout the 2023-24 campaign, so this update isn't surprising. But Reddish's absence should at least open up some minutes for Taurean Prince. However, Prince hasn't been a reliable DFS producer.

Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (quadriceps) will play on Friday versus the Miami Heat. The 24-year-old missed the last four games of the regular season with a quad injury. But he was back in the lineup for Wednesday's Play-In win over the Atlanta Hawks. Dosunmu looked good in that one, ending the night with 19 points and two blocks in 41 minutes of work. It appears Billy Donovan may continue to give the starting lineup plenty of minutes against the Heat, which isn't a bad thing for DFS managers.

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (ankle) will suit up for Friday's Play-In game versus the Heat. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Caruso suffered a "significant ankle injury" during Wednesday's win over the Atlanta Hawks and wasn't expected to play. Luckily, his symptoms mostly resolved, opening the door for his availability for the pivotal contest. As always, the 30-year-old should remain a vital piece of the Bulls' rotation. However, Caruso's presence will likely result in fewer minutes for Javonte Green, who surged toward the end of the regular season.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) has officially been ruled out for Game 1 of their series against the Orlando Magic. The 27-year-old has been an important bench piece for the Cavs throughout the season, but he hasn't appeared in a game since March 8 due to a right knee sprain. Unless others were out as well, he wasn't much of a DFS option. In this case, with Wade on the sidelines, Georges Niang and Marcus Morris Sr. will likely see increases in opportunities while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen play big minutes as the starting frontcourt.

Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (back) has officially been ruled out for the first game of the first-round series against the New York Knicks. According to Derek Bodner of PHLY, head coach Nick Nurse said that Melton did not practice on Friday, but he hasn't been fully ruled out for this series. His two-way abilities would be welcomed back on the court, especially within Nurse's system, but Melton's back issues have caused him to miss a lot of time this year. If he does return at some point in this series, he'll likely have a very tight minutes restriction which would limit his upside in DFS rosters.

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (ankle) is formally listed as questionable for the final Eastern play-in game against the Miami Heat after suffering an ankle injury in their previous game against Atlanta. Caruso said on Friday morning that he expects to play after the swelling went down drastically on Thursday. Caruso plays a big role, especially for the team's defense, and can be a key piece to a win over a Jimmy Butler-less Heat. Caruso has some value in DFS lineups as well due to his defensive abilities and can deliver a scoring punch against a team that's missing one of their best defenders.

According to NBA insider Michael Scotto, San Antonio Spurs forward/center Zach Collins (shoulder) will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Collins is no stranger to surgical procedures. However, it's a tough blow, considering the 26-year-old has appeared in at least 63 games in each of the last two seasons. Fortunately, he's expected to be ready to go for the 2024-25 campaign. Collins remained productive last season despite the arrival of Victor Wembanyama, averaging 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. He should continue to hold a spot in the rotation and get some starts when the new season begins in October, so he should have value for those in deeper fantasy formats.

Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (quadriceps) is considered questionable for Friday's matchup with the Heat. He missed the last four games of the regular season because of a right quad injury. Fortunately, he returned for Wednesday's Play-In win over the Atlanta Hawks, logging 41 minutes and scoring 19 points. Nonetheless, it would be surprising if Dosunmu isn't on the floor on Friday evening. But if he's unavailable, Alex Caruso (ankle), who is questionable, and Javonte Green would be the favorites to absorb the surplus minutes.

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (ankle) is questionable for Friday's Play-In battle with the Miami Heat. The 30-year-old suffered a "significant" left ankle sprain in Wednesday's win over the Atlanta Hawks, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that his status versus the Heat is in doubt. Caruso plays a pivotal role in Chicago's rotation, averaging 10.1 points and 1.7 steals during the regular season. Fortunately, it appears he's doing a little better than he was. But Caruso will have some hurdles to clear before he gets the green light to suit up. However, if he's not on the floor, Javonte Green will immediately see a substantial increase in fantasy potential.

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Sam Merrill (neck) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice as he continues to work his way back from injury. A neck problem kept him out for the final three regular-season games, but Merrill looks to be on track to return to the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs against Orlando on Saturday. The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 8.0 points in 17.5 minutes during the regular season, shooting 40.4 percent from downtown. Merrill's shooting ability makes him a good option to have on the bench, but the rotations get tighter during the postseason, and he likely won't see a lot of time on the court.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) isn't expected to play in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs against Orlando on Saturday. He missed the end of the regular season, making his last appearance on March 8, and Wade wasn't in Wednesday's practice. Wade's absence means more minutes to Georges Niang and Marcus Morris Sr. off the Cavaliers bench. However, neither player doesn't carry any significant fantasy value as long as Evan Mobley stays healthy.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso suffered a "significant" left ankle sprain in Wednesday's play-in contest against Atlanta and is doubtful to play on Friday versus Miami. Caruso suffered the injury in the first quarter on Wednesday when he collided with teammate Andre Drummond. Following a visit to the locker room, Caruso was able to return to the court, but he didn't see any action since the 9:43 mark in the third quarter. The injury will likely bring Javonte Green into the starting unit on Friday. He was a late addition to the Bulls squad during the regular season but had a productive time with the team. In five starts, Green notched 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds with 1.2 steals in 29.2 minutes.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro scored a game-high 25 points in Wednesday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. He added nine assists and two boards. With Terry Rozier (neck) unavailable, Herro was the team's primary ball handler. While he benefitted from a usage standpoint, he had five turnovers. Even worse, he didn't shoot the ball well, going 9-for-27 from the field and 4-for-14 from deep. It's anyone's guess how much longer Herro will be forced to operate at the one spot. But if Rozier isn't back on the floor for Friday's Play-In game between Chicago or Atlanta, Herro could continue to see an uptick in production. His ceiling could rise even higher if Jimmy Butler (knee) is limited after suffering an injury on Wednesday.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that forward Jontay Porter, a two-way player recently under contract with the Toronto Raptors, has been banned from the league.A league investigation found that Porter violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games. The 24-year-old big man appeared in 26 games (five starts) for the Raptors during the 2023-24 season, posting 4.4 points while shooting 38.5% from the field, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 13.8 minutes per contest as a depth piece in Toronto's injury-depleted frontcourt. Porter's case is one the Association hasn't witnessed in many years, but his lifetime ban will have no impact whatsoever on the fantasy basketball landscape entering the 2024-25 campaign.

Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (quadriceps) got shots up during the morning shootaround ahead of Wednesday's play-in game versus the Atlanta Hawks. Dosunmu sat out Chicago's final four contests of the regular season due to a right quadriceps contusion, but he's trending in the right direction to return on Wednesday. The 24-year-old sharpshooter stepped up in the Bulls' backcourt when healthy down the stretch to help mitigate the never-ending void of Lonzo Ball (knee), averaging 19.7 points, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.2 three-pointers on 47.1% shooting from downtown over his last 11 appearances of the 2023-24 season. Dosunmu would be a very popular DFS play in Wednesday's two-game contests if he's available against Atlanta, who allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards during the regular season.

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Klay Thompson had a shocking performance in Tuesday's play-in loss to Sacramento and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer, but the team wants to have him back in the lineup next season. Thompson went 0-for-10 from the field across 32 minutes in Tuesday's blowout loss. However, the Warriors, including head coach Steve Kerr, are desperate to see him return. "We need Klay back," Kerr said after the game. "He's still got good years left. And I know I speak for everybody in the organization: We want him back. ... What Klay has meant to this franchise and as good as he still is, we desperately want him back." Thompson had a very inconsistent campaign in 2023-24, even finding himself in a bench role at times for the first time since his rookie season in 2011-12. His scoring average of 17.9 points per game was his lowest since his sophomore year.

Sacramento Kings guard/forward Malik Monk (knee) is unsure if he can recover in time to play in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. He missed his 10th consecutive game on Tuesday against Golden State while nursing an MCL sprain. Monk was initially ruled out for 4-6 weeks, meaning a return to the court in the first round appears unrealistic if Sacramento makes it to the playoffs. With Kevin Huerter (shoulder) also unavailable, Keon Ellis has stepped up big time for the Kings. He produced an outstanding two-way performance against the Warriors on Tuesday and will be expected to keep up the form in Friday's decisive play-in matchup against New Orleans. Davion Mitchell has also started to play a much more important role in the rotation due to the injuries.